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OT:Garland Texas and General Dynamics

I have a couple of quick questions. I have been still receiving interview offers and I mostly ignored them until I had a conversation with a representative of General Dynamics. The job pays a bit more and the position is for a tool engineer (my first love). The only problem is that I have been here with Carrier for less than 4 months and I need to make sure that if I change jobs it will be worth it.

Well my questions are as follows: What is the city of Garland like (cost of living, neighborhoods, schools, etc.)? Do you or some one you know work for GD and if so what is the work atmosphere like? Any help will be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

I have a couple of quick questions. I have been still receiving interview offers and I mostly ignored them until I had a conversation with a representative of General Dynamics. The job pays a bit more and the position is for a tool engineer (my first love). The only problem is that I have been here with Carrier for less than 4 months and I need to make sure that if I change jobs it will be worth it.

Well my questions are as follows: What is the city of Garland like (cost of living, neighborhoods, schools, etc.)? Do you or some one you know work for GD and if so what is the work atmosphere like? Any help will be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

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I lived in DFW for almost 8 years ad... and in mesquite for a while (near Garland)... Garland is part of the "older" DFW area...

Consider these things...

Cost of living is much higher...
Property taxes are WAY higher...
Car and home insurance are going to go WAY up...
You have to lock every door you have (car, Home)...
Your children are not safe to play alone outside...
Traffic...
Crime...

Now you will be closer to Texas Stadium... but then again... you are only 90 miles now...

On the job front... probably just me... I always felt you should give an employer 1 year before leaving... kinda an act of good faith... but the good of the family comes first...

Just my .02... I loved living in DFW area... but I wouldn't go back for anything short of a small fortune... just not worth it...

Cost of living is much higher...
Property taxes are WAY higher...
Car and home insurance are going to go WAY up...
You have to lock every door you have (car, Home)...
Your children are not safe to play alone outside...
Traffic...
Crime...
..

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Wow ... that sounds like where I live. ... and I live in one of the better areas in NYC.

Hey Trickblue, I've been meaning to ask for some time: who's the guy having all the fun with the cowbell? Looks familiar, but I can't place him (and I'm seeing that animation used as either an avatar or a signature more and more).

I lived in DFW for almost 8 years ad... and in mesquite for a while (near Garland)... Garland is part of the "older" DFW area...

Consider these things...

Cost of living is much higher...
Property taxes are WAY higher...
Car and home insurance are going to go WAY up...
You have to lock every door you have (car, Home)...
Your children are not safe to play alone outside...
Traffic...
Crime...

Now you will be closer to Texas Stadium... but then again... you are only 90 miles now...

On the job front... probably just me... I always felt you should give an employer 1 year before leaving... kinda an act of good faith... but the good of the family comes first...

Just my .02... I loved living in DFW area... but I wouldn't go back for anything short of a small fortune... just not worth it...

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Thanks for the input but I have to disagree with the aforementioned statement. In Corporate America there is no such thing as good faith. I have seen too many good engineers get the boot to think otherwise. With the outsourcing of jobs, rising healthcare, and company’s quest to eliminate salary employee OT pay, it is more of a dog-eat-dog world. The bottom line is that companies will always look out for themselves and in order to survive I must do the same.

Hey Trickblue, I've been meaning to ask for some time: who's the guy having all the fun with the cowbell? Looks familiar, but I can't place him (and I'm seeing that animation used as either an avatar or a signature more and more).

Thanks for the input but I have to disagree with the aforementioned statement. In Corporate America there is no such thing as good faith. I have seen too many good engineers get the boot to think otherwise. With the outsourcing of jobs, rising healthcare, and company’s quest to eliminate salary employee OT pay, it is more of a dog-eat-dog world. The bottom line is that companies will always look out for themselves and in order to survive I must do the same.

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Oh I don't disagree with you Ad... and I said that... do what is best for your family... I just said that is what I try to do... and fortunately for me my past employers have done the same...

Let me give you some advice from my perspective. While I don't live in Garland (I live towards Ft Worth), I have been there many times and it definitely is an older part of the metroplex...right next to Dallas (often hard to tell when you are in one or the other). The Garland police have a reputation of being very aggressive. Crime is kind of bad. It's really kind of ugly. That's what I think of Garland.

As for General Dynamics, if you are up for a job that potentially has high volatility (i.e., layoffs) and above average wages, go for it.

I've lived in Garland, (Jupiter Rd @ Campbell Rd) just S. of the G. Bush, (I-90) for 8 years. An area called "Spring Creek".

The area N. of the Bush, and E. of I-75 is all new development. You might also look at Allen, Wylie, Rowlett and N.W. Mesquite/Rockwall area.

And in response to Mr. doom gloom death and destruction a few posts up.

When I'm at home in the evenings, my backdoor stays unlocked, my $40,000 Ski Nautique SuperSport 210 sits on the cement-pad in my driveway untouched, and the kids in my neighborhood play roller hockey in the street in front of my house, unmolested, until well after dark!!!

And in response to Mr. doom gloom death and destruction a few posts up.

When I'm at home in the evenings, my backdoor stays unlocked, my $40,000 Ski Nautique SuperSport 210 sits on the cement-pad in my driveway untouched, and the kids in my neighborhood play roller hockey in the street in front of my house, unmolested, until well after dark!!!

I don't have a problem with "city living". Also, chargrove I don't plan on being in any trouble with the law, lol. Further most of Texas police are fairly aggressive it is just the nature of the beast.

Could you explain a little more about GD? How do they treat their engineers? When was their last major layoff?

Trick,

Some of the homes in Tyler are quite expensive (300K to 500K for 2500 to 3000 sq/ft.) And the taxes are nothing to sneeze at either. Financially, the amount of money that GD is offering I think I will be fine either way.

Some of the homes in Tyler are quite expensive (300K to 500K for 2500 to 3000 sq/ft.) And the taxes are nothing to sneeze at either. Financially, the amount of money that GD is offering I think I will be fine either way.

Well I was ooking in the TYler News on Sunday... saw several nice homes (upscale) for reasonable price... but then again... you need something convenient to work/schools I understand...

Plus it is all a moot point if you take the job in Garland... if you do take Poke's advice and look in the Allen, Rowlett and N.W. Mesquite/Rockwall not too sure about Wylie unless it has changed the last few years... and most of the burbs do...